Game of skill



foct. 23,1928. 1,688,590

F. w. MILLS 4GrMEVF' SKILL Filed Nov. 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Shea?l 1 Jay@ we Oct, 23,1928.

F. W, MILLS GAME 0F SKILL Filed Nov. 6, 1926 I 4 Sheets-Sheet vll/111111 Oct. 23, 1928. 1,688,590

F. w. MILLS GAME oF SKILL Fi1ed Nov. s, 1926 4 sheets-snm#v 5 'I .07 raz g 10ai Z 205 @0 f gf/z me 9a 'Ms 45 mi 20 "s 1 5:: 1&7" Ulf/76556;@ i. @Wwe/2f@ Oct. 23, .1928.

F. w. MILLS GAME OF SKILL- Filed Nov. 6. 1926` 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fatented Qct. 23, 19287.

FRANK W. MILLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME OF SKILL.

Application filed. November 6, 1926. Serial No. 146,676. i

My invention relates to games and `has among its other objects the produc-tion ot' 1mproved apparatus by means of which a game involving skill may be played.

A particular object of the invention 1s to provide improved apparatus for a game of the kind described, which apparatus will automatically register scores for the players.

In one embodiment of the invention, manually operable mechanism is provided for propelling a ball through an arcuate path which is preferably disposed in a substan-V tially vertical plane, the construction being such that the ball may drop against registering devices positioned below the upper part of the arcuate path and thus indicate predetermined scores for the players. Meansis preferably provided for resetting the regis tering devices,

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or Acorresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through apparatus embodying the invention, the section being taken substantially on line 1 1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectiontaken on line 2 2 ot' Fig. 1-

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 4 is a section. taken on line 4- 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a. section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Y

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7 7 ot Fic. 6-

Y 7 Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevation of one of my improved trip or registering devices forming part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 1'0 1O of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11l is a section taken on line 1l 11 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of a trip or reg-v istering device embodying another form of the'invention; and Y Fig. 13 is a section. taken on line 13 13 of Fig. 12. i

In Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive of the drawings, I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention as it is employed in connection with dispensing apparatus, but my invention is limited to this use only to the extent defined in the appended claims. The novel features of the dispensing apparatus form the subject matter of my copending application, Serial N. 146,677 filed November 6, 1926.

Referring to the drawings, the reference` character 2O designates generally a housing or cabinet adapted to hold my improved game and the dispensing apparatus. The housing 20 preferably comprises side walls 21 and 22, a. top wall 23 and a bottom wall or 1 base 24. The rear end of the cabinet 20' is normally closed by a removable panel or door 34. The front Wall of the cabinet 2() is preferably formed by a panel 42, which in this instance, comprises a casting having a relatively large opening 43 therein. The opening 43 is normally closed by a pane of glass 44. Mounted to the rear of the panel 42 and spaced therefrom is a panel 45. It will be noted, as this description progress'es7 that the dispensing apparatus is mounted to the rear of the panel 45 and that the front surface of that panel forms 'part of the game which is the subject matter of this application.

Projecting from the front face of the panel 45 is an arcuate track 50 which is disposed in a substantially vertical plane and is provided with an initial portion 51, the portion 51 being substantially or nearly horizontal. Also projecting from the front face of the panel 45 is a lug 53 which cooperates with the pin 54 and a bent pin 55 to form a pocket adapted to hold a ball 56 with which the game is played, means hereinafter described being provided for moving the pins 54 and 55 to the left- (Fig.'1) so that the ball 56 will be displaced in a. like direction and will fall upon the portion 51- of the arcuate'track 50. .as the portion 51 is inclined somewhat to the horizontal, the ball 56 will roll against the stop 57 so that it will be cngageable by a hammer member 60 mountedV upon the free end of a leaf spring 61 disposed in an aperture v65 formed in the side wall 22, the leaf spring 61 being secured to a bracket member 63 which normally closes the apertures 65. Engaging the leaf spring 61 is a cam surface 67 formed upon al lever 68 which is pivoted upon a pin 62 mounted in the bracket meinber 63. The construction is such that if the outer end of the lever 68 is depressed, the free end of the leaf spring will be moved to the left (Fig. 1), and the hammer member 60 will strike the ball 56. lt is readily understood that if the ball 56 is struck with sufficient force, it will roll entirely around the arcuate track and return to the Apocket formed by the plug 53 and the pins 54 and 55. However, if the ball 56 is struck with less force, it will drop from the upper portion of the arcuate track 50 and fall upon an arcuate flange 72 projecting from the front face vof the panel 45, the flange 72 being adapted to return the ball to the pocket formed by the lug 53 and the pins 54 and 55.

Carried by the panel and projecting` through apertures 74 formed therein are a plurality of trip or registering devices 75, 76, 77 and 78 which, in thisiustance, are as sumed to represent home-plate, and the third, second and first bases, respectively of a baseball diamond. Thus, if the ball 56 drops from the upper portion of the arcuate track and engages the trip device 75, the player who propelled the ball will be credited with a home-run.A lf the ball engages one of the trip devices 76, 77 or 78, the player will vbe credited with a one, two or three base hit as the case-may be.

As best shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, wherein I have illustrated the details of the trip device 77, each of the trip devices preferably comprises a sheet metal plate 80 provided with ears 81, whereby the plate is pivoted upon a pin 82 carried by the panel. 45. Each plate'80 is provided with al curved extension 84 which is formed eccentrically with respect to the pin 82 and is engageable with a stop or lug 85 struckup from a leaf spring 86 having one of its ends rigidly secured to a plate 87 mounted upon the rear surface of the panel 45. A spring 89 disposed around the pin 82 tends to hold the plate 80 in the position wherein it is shown in full lines in Fig. 9. When the ball 56 drops against the registering device 77, the plate 80 is moved into the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, and the extension 84 is engaged by the lug 85 in such manner that the spring 89 cannot return the plate 8O to the position wherein it is shown in full lines until the leaf spring 86 is bent to bring the lug 85 out of the path of the extension 84. lt is readily understood that the eccentrically formed extension 84 tensions the leaf yspring 86 when it moves from the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines inthe same figures, the spring 86 snapping back into the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 9 as soon as the extension 84 has passed the lug 85.

The means for disengaging the lugs 85k from the extensions 84 preferably comprises a slide 90 mounted upon pins 91 which project from, the rear surface of the panel 45. Carried by the slide 90 are a plurality of cam members 93 engageable with the free ends of the leaf springs 86 when the slide is longitudinally displaced toward the right (Fig.` 6) against the action of a spring 95 secured to the panel 45 by a screw 97. The means for longitudinally displacing the slide 90 pi-eferably comprises a plunoer 98 slidably jourynaled inthe bracket 63 which ycarries the rality of stops 106 and 107 which are enc'fureif LUM able with the bracket members 104 and 105 respectively, and are preferably formed from such material as leather or the equivalent, the stops being secured to the slide by metallic clips 110 or the equivalent. A spring 112 eX- tending between the bracket member 104 and the stop 107 normally holds the slide 101 in a position wherein the stop 106 abuts against the bracket member 104. The means for displacing the slide 101 preferably comprises a plunger l114 slidably journaled in the bracket member 63 (Fig. As shown', the plunger 114 is preferably tubular in form and encloses a compression spring 115- which is interposed between one end of the plunger and a disc 116 slidably journaled therein. The spring 115 urges the disc 116 against a linger 118 formed integral with the slide 101.y The spring 115 is of such strength the plunger 114 may be urged toward the right to cause the disc 116 to displace the slide 101 in the same direction against the action of the` spring 112. However, if for any reason, suoli movement of the slide 101 is prevented, the spring 115 will yield and prevent injury to the ap para-tusr should the operator apply considerable force to the plunger.

As the dispensing apparatus shown in connection with the game is fully described in my aforementioned copending application and does not form a part of this invention, no detailed description thereof will be included in this disclosure. However, it is well to point out that the dispensing apparatus is coin controlled and that it includes dil lur

lll)

lever 180 having a lug 178 engageable with a notch 183 formed in the slide 101, the arrangement being such that this lever isswung out of engagementwith the slide when a coin is deposited in the apparatus and the plunger 11a is moved inwardly. Ialso provide a dog 195 for controlling the movements of the slide 101, but as thisdog does not form an essential part of the game, I need not describe the functions thereof. For the purpose of this disclosure, it may be assumed that the slide 101 is substantially free to move each time the plunger 1141; is pushed toward it.

Obviously, other games besides the one resembling baseball may be played upon my improved apparatus as various arbitrary values may be assigned to the trip devices 75, 76, 77 and 78 and the players may simply be credited with the score indicated each time the ball strikes one of the trip devices. When the apparatus is utilized to play a game resembling baseball, two or more players may each be assigned a number of innings and may be credited with base hits or home-run hits as indicated by the trip devices. Of course, when the ball falls between or to one side of the trip devices, a strike is called upon the player. The base hits may be cumulative during any one inning. Thus, a first base hit and a third base hit would equal a home-run hit.

In Figs. 12 and 18 I have shown trip or registering devices 205 which I preferably employ in place of the aforementioned trip devices 77. Each trip device 205 preferably comprises one of the above described sheet metal plates provided with ears 81 whereby the plate is pivoted upon a pin 82 carried by the panel 45. The curved extension Set formed ecccntrically with respect to the associated pin 82 is engageable with a stop or lug 206 formed upon a leaf spring 207 of relatively light construction, the leaf spring 207 being secured to the panel 45 by a screw 208 which also secures a heavier leaf spring 209 to the panel. The leaf sprinO' 209 is interposed between the leaf spring 207 and the panel 45 and its free end is engageable by the associated cam member 93 carried by Vthe slide 90. l/Vhen the slide is moved to the right (Fig. 12) the cam members 98 will move the free ends of the leaf spring 209 away from the panel 115 and the leaf springs 209 will in turn bend the springs 207 so that the lugs 'or stops 206 will be moved away from the curved extensions 811 of the plates 80. Therefore, if any of t-he pla-tes have been previously tripped, they will be returned to their normal positions by the springs 89 which also constitute parts of the trip or registering devices 205.

One of the advantages of the construction shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is that the trip devices 205 need not be adjusted as accurately as the trip devices 77 In other words, the

spring 86 of t-he trip devices 77 must be selected carefully so that the plates 80 associated therewith can be tripped easily and yet the springs must be of sufficient strength that they may be bent by the cam members 93 without injury thereto. l

Having thus described my invention,it is obvious that various imn'laterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a track disposed in a plane inclined to the horizontal, means for propelling a ball along the track, and a plurality of trip devices engageable by the ball when it falls from the track, said trip devices being actuated by the ball when engaged thereby.

2. In a device of the kind described, a track disposed in aplane inclined to the horizontal, and a trip device engageable by the ball when it falls from the track, said trip device comprising a member adapted to be displaced when struck by the ball.

3. In a device of the kind described, a trip device comprising a pivoted member, and yielding means for holding it in a plurality of positions.

t. In a device of the kind described, a trip device comprising a pivoted member having a surface formed thereon eccentric to the axis of said member and yielding means engageable by said eccentric surface for controlling said pivoted member.v

5. In a device of the kind described, a trip device comprising a pivoted member, a spring yieldingly holding the pivoted member in a predetermined position, and a second spring for yieldingly holding the pivoted member in a second position against the action of the irst mentioned spring.

6. In a device of the kind described, a trip device comprising a pivoted member, a spring yieldingly holding the pivoted member in a predetermined position, and a second spring for yieldingly holding the pivoted member in a second position against the action of the rst mentioned spring, and means for rendering said second spring ineffective.

7. In a device of the kind described, a track, means for propelling a ball upon said track, a pivoted member engageable to be tripped by the ball when it falls from said track, yielding means for holding said pivoted member in a predetermined position wherein it is engageable by the ball, and means for restoring said member to normal position after it has been tripped by a ball.

8. In a device of the kind described, a track, means for propelling a ball upon said track, a pivoted member' engageable by the ball when it falls from said track, spring means ior normally maintaining said member in a position where it may be engaged and tripped by a ball, means for locking said member after it has been tripped by a ball, and means for releasing said locking means whereby said member may be restored to normal position.

9. In a device oi' the kind described, a track, means for propelling a ball. upon said track, a pivoted member engageable by the ball when it falls from said track, said member having an eccentric surface, spring means for normally maintaining said member in a position where it may be engaged and tripped by a ball, a spring clip having thereon means for engaging said eccentric surface for locking said member after it has been tripped by a ball, and slidable means for moving said spring clip so as to release said pivoted member and allow said spring means to restore it to a normal position;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANK W. MILLS. V 

